Cape Town, April 24 : Indiaâ??s challenge at the South African Womenâ??s Open got off to a good start as Diksha Dagar produced a sparkling back-nine performance to emerge as the leading Indian contender in Cape Town.

The left-handed golfer, who famously won this title in 2019 and has finished third in her own Womenâ??s Indian Open, carded an impressive five-under 68 at the Par-73 Royal Cape Golf Club to be placed tied 11th after the opening round.

What stood out was her remarkable surge on the back nine, where she fired five birdies, showcasing both composure and attacking intent. After a mixed front nine that included two birdies and two bogeys following an opening bogey, Diksha found her rhythm from the 11th hole onwards. Birdies on the 11th and 12th set the tone before she added further gains on the 15th and 16th, underlining her growing confidence.

Among the Indian contingent, even as Diksha led the charge, reinforcing her status as one of the countryâ??s most consistent performers on the LET, Pranavi Urs also put up a solid effort, returning a two-under 70 to be tied 20th.

Pranaviâ??s round featured a steady mix of recovery and resilience, including three birdies on the front nine and additional gains on the 11th and 17th, though a bogey on the 15th prevented a higher climb up the leaderboard.

Further down, Hitaashee Bakshi (72) and Avani Prashanth (73) were tied 64th, while Tvesa Malik (74) and Vani Kapoor (75) faced an uphill task, placed tied 82nd and 92nd respectively. With the cut looming, the latter group will need significantly improved rounds to stay in contention.

While the spotlight for Indian fans remained on Dikshaâ??s resurgence, the overall leaderboard was dominated by Germanyâ??s Patricia Schmidt, who delivered a stunning career-best 10-under 63 to take a two-shot lead. Her round included an eagle and a flurry of birdies on the back nine, marking one of the finest performances of her LET career.

For India, however, the bigger narrative is the encouraging form of its golfers on the international stage. Dikshaâ??s strong start not only boosts her chances in South Africa but also adds momentum to her larger ambition of winning the Hero Womenâ??s Indian Open on home soil. With several rounds still to play, Indian hopes will hinge on whether Diksha can sustain her form and convert this promising start into a serious title challenge.

/IANS